


Seperation Anxiety

by orphan_account



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Hulk and Bruce have a heart to heart, Hulk... not so much, Infinity War spoilers, M/M, Talk of Bruce’s upbringing, Thor is an amazing listener, Thor is supportive
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-04
Updated: 2018-05-04
Packaged: 2019-04-30 22:30:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,249
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14506863
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Post Infinity Wars, Bruce Banner and the Hulk have a long, painful talk about how the world is now.Regardless, they still have someone to find comfort in.





	Seperation Anxiety

Two years on Sakaar was far, far too long for the Hulk, and if that was a mutual agreement had yet to be consulted.

Without a word, people started disappearing, turning into nothing more than odd rubble. First, Bruce Banner checked himself - nope, still in one piece. Just after that fight with Thanos, his army, everything... it must mean he’s won. Bruce hates to think what happened to everyone else in his time, who else has been taken - is Thor okay?

With thoughts of his dearest companion - well, that wasn’t the word, but they had gotten undeniably close thanks to Sakaar’s... whatever - urging him on, Bruce pushes what’s left of the Hulkbuster armor forwards, towards where everyone seems to be going. He saw Thor eariler, fighting Thanos’s army, and there he is again (with a new axe).

He looks so... broken.

It’s absolutely painful, and briefly, Bruce wonders if Hulk can sense it too. Not that Hulk has been of any particular help recently, save only once, but there’s something there in his head that both of them feel. It’s kind of odd, being able to mostly feel the same things the Hulk does, but never remembering anything the Hulk’s done. Likewise, Hulk can remember what happened to Banner, but never feel him on an emotional level. A fair trade, in some regard.

With a kind of energy Bruce has never felt before, he muses, it’s better now than ever to settle what is going on with Hulk.

He doesn’t bother anyone right away, stomping off (Bruce can’t help the stomping, the hulkbuster armor isn’t exactly delicate) to the river he had been warring with monsters in earlier. His voice is quiet, and he sits next to the river, feeling like he needs to run his hands in his hair.

“Hulk? Can we talk for a bit?”

Silence. Wonderful. Hulk isn’t gonna make this easy.

“I know, I know I was really, really demanding earlier, and I’m sorry. Not like Tony sorry, I actually mean it.”

Nothing yet. However, he can feel a tinge of something in his neck. Maybe Hulk is listening?

“I know you would have preferred that planet. Would have preferred to keep me in the dark and be everyone’s hero instead of here, dealing with Thanos and the Infinity Stones. I know it’s my - and Thor’s - fault for letting us leave.”

He wonders if anyone can hear him. Probably not, they’re still figuring out what happened and a plan, so he can continue trying to talk to Hulk.

“I... I guess I want to start over? I want to try again. Of all people I really shouldn’t be treating you like a monster. You’re part of me and I’m part of you, and I think we need to try and fix that. I-if you’re willing, I mean. Try to find a balance, or just something where we aren’t enemies?”

There’s a pause, and Bruce yelps as green rushes past, face deforming. His head is taken by the Hulk for a brief moment, just long enough to say something.

“Hulk knows Banner is lying. Banner doesn’t want Hulk around, and Hulk does not need Banner.”

Ouch. Bruce grimaces when his face returns to normal, frowning at Hulk’s reasoning. Yes, in theory, the best way would be if he and Hulk split apart for good, but that wasn’t going to happen any time soon.

“I’m not, I’m not lying. Hulk, half of the people we knew just disappeared into rubble. It could have been us, too, but we were spared. I just thought this moment of peace could be the thing that changes us. We stop being the quiet, wimpy Bruce and the hated, uncontrollable Hulk, and instead just worked as a team. I mean, it can’t be worse than the Avengers were, right?”

More silence, and Hulk suddenly replies, flashing green and taking over.

“People never see Hulk differently. People never see Banner differently.”

Back again.

“They won’t see us differently if we don’t do something to change their minds. Could... we at least try it? I’m curious of what you did on that planet.”

No comment, but Bruce has been so wrapped up in his own head that anyone who has joined him has gone unnoticed.

“... I’m sorry, Hulk. For being no better than anyone else. Should have realized you’d been looking out for me instead of trying to get rid of you. Even when I was kid, I guess you were there to save me.” Bruce laments, staring out into the forst clearing. “I guess that whole thing with dad would have been so much easier if I had you as you are now, huh?”

The past bring up makes the silence tense, and Bruce isn’t sure if Hulk’s even listening anymore. However, Banner finally tears his eyes away from the scene in front of him, looking down to see that Thor has decided to sit with him.

“Er, Thor, how long have you been there?” Bruce asks, the attached arm of the hulk buster armor now nervously fiddling with nothing.

“Since you started talking with the Hulk. I mostly sat down so no one would think you were talking to yourself.” Thor comments, Stormbringer perched in his lap.

Bruce goes a tint pink at the realization.

“Guess... well, I guess you already knew most of this, huh.”  
“Not really, but knowing the Hulk has his own preferences makes sense.”

Things go quiet, and Thor continues to stare out into nothing while Bruce watches him. Even before Thor had his hair cut, he was so... perfect. Sigh.

Bruce feels the need to speak, before the Hulk says something.

“Er, thank you.” Bruce mumbles, looking away out of bashfulness. Back to the Hulk at hand, he supposes, and attempts to prod the Hulk into talking again. “Hulk, I... I want to fix things between us.”

Finally, finally, Bruce gets a reply. His face and neck ripple green, shifting back to the hulk, only to return to normal right after speaking. “Hulk accepts Banner’s apologies.”

Banner’s eyes light up, and a smile crosses his face. That's a start, a good start. "Does that mean we can-"

The green flashes before Banner even gets the words out. "No pushing it."

Well, at least that's a start.

Thor just smiles as he listens in on the pair talking, even if he doesn't mean to. Bruce and Hulk are rather precious, in a way, that they now talk to each others instead of just being anger. That's a relief, anyway. The Asgardian scoots closer to Bruce, a sad smile on his face, dwelling briefly on how the last few moments he'd spent with his brother, his people, were thanks to the Hulk and Bruce, and that. even if unintentionally, Hulk and Bruce were the reason he even saved them in the first place. Sure, it didn't end as they hoped, but they tried.

"Thank you for being at my side, Banner."

The sudden gratitude causes Bruce to look surprised, glancing down at the never breaking grin that Thor just seemed to have all the time. Bruce starts to shimmy out of the hulkbuster armor, taking a moment to remember how the suit work, only to climb out and join Thor on a more personal level. 

"It's... It's not a problem, Thor. We'll win this fight."

Something, probably the Hulk, reassures Bruce of just that. They'll win, and all will be well. Right? Certainly.

It's just a matter of how.

**Author's Note:**

> Hello my name is Bread and I adore ThunderScience. Or, Gamma Hammah. Basically, as long as Thor, Bruce and Hulk are happy together, I’m happy.


End file.
